Nov. 25--Lawrence County residents may find out Tuesday whether Decatur-originated toxins on their land and in their water are high enough to be a health risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency will host a public meeting at Moulton Recreation Center beginning with one-on-one sessions at 6 p.m. The public hearing begins at 7 p.m.

Several agencies will update landowners on progress made on hazards of perfluorinated chemicals, a carcinogen spread on Lawrence County farms and some farms in Morgan and Limestone counties.

EPA spokesperson Laura Niles said the meeting will include test results from private drinking wells and fields. She said EPA is working to establish a provisional health advisory for the PFC levels that are a risk to humans.

Niles said the U.S. Department of Agriculture may have results from PFC tests of cattle that grazed in PFC-contaminated fields in time for the meeting.

PFCs are used in several Decatur industries to manufacture non-stick products including Teflon. Recent studies link the synthetic chemicals to sterility, hormonal problems and developmental defects.

In September, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced PFCs are one of six high-profile chemicals the agency will analyze and regulate. She said the agency would issue an action plan for the chemicals in December.

Lawsuit

A lawsuit against several companies that allegedly use, or have used, the chemicals is progressing in Morgan County Circuit Court. Lawyers filed an amended complaint against 3M Co., Daikin America Inc., Synagro South LLC, Toray Carbon Fibers America Inc., Toray Fluorofibers and others.

Most of the plaintiffs -- including Hillsboro Gin Co., Hamilton Farms and individual landowners in Lawrence County -- allege damage to their land as a result of PFCs in Tennessee River water or sludge.

The lawsuit seeks class action certification, alleging at least 1,500 people sustained property damage as a result of the PFC emissions.

EPA first issued a health advisory on the PFC used most heavily in Decatur in January, after discovering unexpectedly high levels of the chemical on Lawrence County farms treated with sludge from the Decatur Utilities wastewater treatment plant.

Officials believe PFCs entered the treatment plant in area industries' wastewater.

For 12 years -- ending in November 2008 when EPA advised it of the test results -- DU disposed of the sludge by giving it to Synagro, which spread the biosolids on farmland as free fertilizer.

Since ending the fertilizer program, DU has increased its costs of shipping the sludge to landfills. Morgan County Area Landfill is the main recipient, and it is trying to develop a system that will destroy or remove PFCs from landfill runoff.

Public meeting

Date: Tuesday.

Time: Officials will meet one-on-one with individuals from 6 to 7 p.m. A public meeting, including a time for questions, will be from 7 to 8 p.m.

Place: Moulton Recreation Center, 13550 Court St., Moulton.

Sludge attendees

In addition to the Environmental Protection Agency, representatives will attend the public hearing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Decatur Utilities, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

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